Signal apparatus for elevators.



J. F. MQGARTHY.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR ELEVATORS.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1912. 1 Q97 344 Patented May 19, 1914.

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J. P. MGOARTHY. SIGNAL APPARATUS POR ELEVATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13, 1912.

1,097,344, Patented May 19, 1914.

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)UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

JOSEPH F. xecmnr, or rnrnannnrnm, rnnnsYnvanra, assronon or ONE-HALF row. '2. Baown, .13., or rnrnannmnm, rEnnsYnvAn-Ia.

smnan urnwrcs FOR mnvarons.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1912. Serial no. name:

To all whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that I, Joscrn F. MoQsn'rHY, a citizen of the United States, res1dmg {at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and:

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Signal Apparatus for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This Jnvention generally s akmg, relates to indicators or signals or elexators and has more particular relation to ele'ctr1- cally controlled up and down signal lamps for designating at each hall or floor of a building, the approach up and down, of an ing car one or more floors in advance of arrival at a given floor.

. A still further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical signaling apparatus of simple, eifective and comparatlvely inexpensive constructlon and of, positive operation for ele ators, which shall work in conjunction with a mechanical dial located upon each floor of a building, whereby the progress of the-car either up or down is flashed by the electrical apparatus at each .floor in'advance of the approach of thevcar.

A still furtherobject of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of make and break contact device and its means of actuation, which may be operated successfully in connection withtdial systems now in use or may be used independently thereof.

With these. and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more, fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which:

Figure 1, is a fragmentar view in front elevation, for the purposes 0 illustration, of

'and by the particular construction a combined me chanical and electrical signal device shown in application to the grille work of an elevator shaft, Fig.2, is a top or plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the combined mechanical and electrical Signal device, shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3, is a view in section, taken upon the. line 33 of Fig.- 1, but drawn to an enlarged scale, Fig. 4, is a fragmentary view inside elevation of the combined mechanical and electrical signal device, Fig. 5, is a view in front elevation of the commutator cylinder, and Fig. 6, is a view in frontelevation of the make and break contact device shown in the foregoing figures. v

In elevator signaling apparatus, it has been customary in the past in some places to provide an equipment known as the dial system, whichis mechanically operated and which is designed to designate at each fioor,

Patented May 19, 1914.

by means of pointer and dial, the exact 10- cation of an elevator car. Modern equipment of elevate-r systems, however, has to a great extent supplanted the mechanical system with electrical flashes to designate the and down movement of an elevator car. 0

remove the mechanical dial system and install the electrical flash system entails considerable expense, particularly in that the ordinary flash system constitutes a complicated series of electrical circuits and cooperating switches. The present invention aims among other things to utilize the present mechanical dial system of elevator signals and use in conjunction therewith, by operatively connecting thereto so as to be operated thereby, an electrical fiash system. By this arran ement parts hereinafter to be recited, it is possible wherever dial systems are installed, to add at very small cost the electrical flashes Without, however, the installation of a system of circuits and coiiperating switches of intricate and complicated nature. It is to be remarked at this time, however, that the novel form of commutator and make and break device of the invention may be used to operate an up and down flash independently of the dial and pointer. I

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, the improved apparat-us and system of the invention is shown as being arranged in position on the grille work'of the elevator shaft of a building immediately above that portion of the elevator shaft opening before which the ele-.

vator car stops. A description will first be given of the dial, which is mechanically operated and which for the sake of illustration will be assumed to have been previously installed. The. dial 10, which is usually constructed of metal, is provided with numerals, arranged consecutively, designating the various floors of a building. Disposed horizontally with respect to the dial 10, and havin the smaller end 11, thereof penetrating, t e dial 10, is a shaft 12, having a pointer 13, thereon, which is adapted to travel back and forth around the dial 10. The opposite end of the shaft 12, has fixed thereto a .grooved pulley 14, around which passes an operating belt 15, partial rotation to which is imparted in the up and down movement ofthe elevator in the well understood manner. may be of ordinary and well understood construction. Assuming now that a building having such a dial system is to be equipped with an electrical flash system, the above parts may be readily utilized for operating the fiash system, a description of which will now be given. Shown as encircling the shaft- 12, is a metallic sleeve 16,-

having a flanged portion 17, which flanged portion is secured to the rear of the dial 10,

by means of screws 18. The sleeve 16, is insulated from theshaft 12, by suitable insulating material 19. Loosely mounted upon the sleeve 16, so as to be relatively movable around its own axis is a make and break device or switch lever 20, 'see Fig. 6. Upon opposite sides of this device 20, are rings 21, and 22 usually of fiber on account of the wearing qualities thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, the inner end of the sleeve 16, or

that end which is opposite to the flanged end, is screw threaded as at 23, for the reception of an adjusting nut 24. Interposed between the nut 24, and the ring of insulating material 21, and coiled around the sleeve 16, is a tension spring 25. This spring 25, serves to force the ring 21,.device 20, and ring of insulating material 22, up against the flange 17, of the sleeve 16, so as to properly position the said make and break device. As clearly shown in Figs. 3, and 6, the said device 20; is apertured as at '26, for the passage therethrough of a memrber 27, which is held in constant contact with and tracks upon the flange 17, of the sleeve 16, by virtue of a leaf spring 28. The free end'of the make and break device or switch lever 20, has fixed thereto a horizontally disposed contact stud 29, having an enlarged head, extending from which are platinum contact pins 30. The purpose and operation of the make and break device including its complemental contact stud will presently appear. Having fixed relation with The above described parts the shaft 12, is a commutator cylinder 31,

which is shown as being located between the grooved pulley 14, and the free end of the sleeve 16. This commutator cylinder 31, is equipped with suitably spaced contact plates 32, and 33, of which the contact plate 32, is designed to correspond with the up signal and of which the contact plate 33, is designed to correspond with the down signal, which signals will be hereinafter described. Shown as extending from the side 34, of the commutator cylinder 31, are horizontally disposed contact pins 35, and 36.

In practice these contact pins 35 and 36;

are spaced with respect to each 0t er so as to confine for limited movement therebetween, the hereinbefore described contact stud 29, of the make and break device or switch lever 20. The contact plate 32, is electrically connected by means of a con nection 37, with the contact pin 36, and the contact plate 33, is similarly connected by a connection 38, with the contact pin 35. Rigidly fixed to the back of the dial 10, is a brush holder 39, which supports a pair of spring impelled carbon or metal brushes 40, and 40. A convenient form of brush is that disclosed in Fig. 5, wherein the brushes 40, and 40 are contained within barrels 41,

and are normally pressed in the direction of the arrow by means of springs 42, screw threaded caps 43, being present to retain the springs in position. Screws 44, serve to retain the barrels 41, in adjusted position and in addition serve as binding posts to which conductors a, and b, may be connected. It may be here remarked that conductor a, leads from the brush complemental to the contact plate 32, of the commutator cylinder, to one terminal of the lamp'that flashes the up signal of the travel of the elevator. Conductor 6, leads from the brush 'eomplemental to the contact plate 33, of the commutator cylinder, to one terminal of the lamp that flashes the down signal of the elevator. In this connection, it w1ll, of course, be understood that the remaining terminals of the up and down lamps are connected by conductors c, with the return lead (Z, from the source of current supply. Before leaving the subject of circuit connections, it may be stated that current is sup-, plied from any suitable source by conductor e, to an electrical connection 45, upon the back of the dial 10, the electrical connection 45, in turn forming connection with the flange 17, of the sleeve 16, to establish a constant circuit of current thereto. As clearly shown in Fig. ,3, the up and down flash lights 46, and 47, are supported by a bracket 48, which is secured to the grille work of the elevator shaft.

.A description will now be given of the mode of operation of the above described parts, it, of course, being understood that a dial and pointer commutator and make and break device a'e present at each floor. In

this connectionit will be assumed that the] elevator caris at the ground floor of a build- 7 ing as is shown in Fig. 1, and that the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 3, is located upon the second floor of the same building. As the elevator car moves upward the pointer 13, travels in the direction of the arrow in Fig.

1, and the contact point 36, of the commu tator cylinder 31, moving with the cylinder abuts against and moves with it the contact stud 29,,and-the make and break device or switch lever 20, see Fig. 5. Approximately at .the same moment the contact plate 32, of

the commutator cylinder 31, moves into coni tact with the brush 40, which lies in its path elevator opening of the second floor that a car is approaching and that it is moving upward. Of course, while the pointer designates that it is going upward, in large ofiice buildings where a series of elevators are present, it is very hard to watch all of the pointers but very easy to notice the flash of a lamp. Asuming' that the elevator car still continues upward, the operation of the signal device at the second floor for flashing.

the up=light-at the third floor-ofthe building is a counterpart operation of the signal device at the first floor.-, Likewise the operations of the remaining si al I devices throughout the height of thee evator shaft are counterpart operations of the first'de- "scribed signal device. 'In this connection it is to be noted that all the signal devices areduplicates of each other and it is, the adjusting of each commutator cylinder 31, upon its complemental shaft 11, to agree with the indicator 13, thereof, which times the operation of each signal device. For

example, if the building in which the installation of the present invention is being made is a ten story building, each commutator cylinder 31,. is adjusted, upon its complementalshaft 11, so that it assumes a positionadvanced one tenth of the circumference of its shaft for: each succeeding-floor. This advanced POSitlOIIOf the commutator cylinder, positions the contact strips-32, and

33, thereof, so that said contact strips are .timed to form electrical connection, in sequential relation, with the lighting circuit, floor after floor or in other words every one tenth of the height of the elevator shaft.

suming now that the elevator car 1S dc l scending the shaft 12, together with its complemental pointer 13, and commutator cylinder 31, will rotate in a direction opposite to that just described. It will, of course, be. understood that in the descending of the elevator car, it is important that the up light 46, be=not flashed andthat' the down light 47, be operated. As the commutator cylinder 31, moves in the direction of the dotted arrow in Fig. 5, the contact pin 35, moving with the cylinder, abuts against the contact stud 29, thereb moving away fromthe contact pin 36, sai stud29, which pin in the upward movement of the elevator has been abutting against said contact stud 29. Thus, as-the elevator moves downward the commutator cylinder 31,

moves around the sleeve 16, the switch lever 20, and practically at the same moment that the contact piece 35, and contact stud 29, contact, the cohtact piece 33, of the commutator' cylinder 31, comes into contact withbrush 40", which lies in-the path thereof. Immediately a circuit is established by way of the conductor 6, contact plate 45, flange 17, of the sleeve 16, contact piece 27, spring 28 contact piece 35, connection '38, contact plate 33, brush 40, co'nductorb, and lamp 57.

Having now particularly described the invention' and its mode. of operation, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An elevator signal apparatus comprising a set of electrically controlled .up and down signal lamps at each elevatorlanding, a rotatably mounted shaft adjacent each set of signal lamps, a commutator cylinder fixed to each shaft, each cylinder bein equipped with a suitably spaced contact no ate and a contact pin 'complemental to eaci lamp in a single set, mechanical means operative with the movement of an elevator car for partially rotating in either direction all of said'shafts, a separate brush'for each lamp each brush lying in the path of travel of its complemental contact late and adapted to electrically control the ashing of said lamps and a make and break contact member in constant circuit with a source of electrical currentloosely mounted upon each of said shafts and movably confined between the said contact pins of the commutator cylinders so as to be capable ofrotation therewith and form a contact with one or the other of said pins in accordance with the direct-ion of rotation of the respective shafts. p

y 2. An elevator signal apparatus comprising a set of electrically controlled up and down si nal lamps .atreach elevator landing, a rotata ly mounted shaft adjacent each set of signal lamps, a commutator cylinder fixed to each shaft, each cylinder being equipped with a suitably spaced contact plate and a contact pin complemental to each lamp in a. single set, mechanical means operative with the movement of an elevator car for partially rotating in either direction all of said shafts, a separate brush for each lamp each brush lying in the path of travel of its complemental contact plate and adapted to electrically control the flashing of said lamps, a make and break contact member in -constant circuit with a source of electrical current loosely mounted upon and insulated from each of said shafts and movably confined between the contact pins of the commutator cylinders, so as to be capable of rotation therewith and form a contact with one member with respect to its complemental shaft.

3. An elevator signal apparatus comprising 'a set of electrically controlled up and down signal lamps at each elevator landing, a supporting element adjacent each set of signal amps, a shaft rotatably carried by each supporting element, a commutator cylinder fixed to each shaft each cylinder bein equipped with a suitably spaced contact p ate and a contact pin complemental to each lamp in a single set, mechanical means operative with the movement of an elevator car for partially rotating in either direction all of said shafts, a separate brush for each lamp, each brush lying in the path of travel of its complemental contact plate and adapted to electrically,

control the flashing of saidlamps, a-sleeve fixed to each supporting element through which said shaft passes and is insulated therefrom saidsleeve being inconstant circuit with a source of electrical current, a make and break contact member loosely mounted upon each of said sleeves said contact member being movably confined between the said contact pms of the commutator cylinders so as to be capable of rotation therewith and form a contact with one or the other of sa1d pins in accordance with the direction of rotation of the respective shafts, wherebyelectrical connection is established between' one of said contact plates and one of said lamps at every landing at predetermined perlods and atension device for each sleeve for properly positioning thereon said make and break contact member.

4. An elevator signal apparatus comprismg a bracket supporting a set of electrically controlled up and down signal lamps ,at'each elevator landing, a supporting element adjacent each bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to each supporting element, a commutator cylinder fixed to each shaft each cylinder being equipped with a suitably spaced contact plate and a contact pin complemental to each lamp in a single set, a pulley fixed to the outer end of each shaft,

mechanical means connecting each pulley for cooperating with the movement of an elevator car for partially rotatingin either direction all of said shafts, a separate brush for each lamp each brush lying in the path of travel of its complemental contact late and adapted to electrically control the ashing of said lamps said brushes being carried by the various supporting elements, a sleeve fixed to each supporting element through which said shaft passes and which is insulated therefrom said sleeve being in constant circuit with a source of electrical current, a make and break contact member loosely mountedupon each of said sleeves and being movably confined between the commutator contact pins so as to be capable of rotation therewith and form contact with one or the otheriof-said pins in accordance with the direction of rotation of the respective shafts whereby electrical connectionis established between one of said contact plates and one of said lamps at every landmg at predetermined periods, an adjustable nut carried at the free end of each sleeve and a tension spring interposed between said nut and said make and break contact member for pressing the latter toward the supporting element.

5. An elevator signal apparatus comprising a bracket supporting a set of electrically controlled up and down signal lamps at each elevator landing, a dial having delineated" thereon the various floors of a building ad -jacent each bracket, a shaft rotat-ably mounted with respect to each dial, a pointer fixed to each shaft for registering with the dial parts,'a commutator cylinder fixed to each shaft, each cylinder being equipped with a suitably spaced contact plate and a contact pin complemental to each lamp in a single set, mechanical means cooperating with the movement of an elevator car for partially rotatingoin either direction all of said shafts, a separate brush for-each lam each brush lying in the path of travel 0 its complemental contact plate and adapted to electrically control the flashing of said lamps, a sleeve. fixed to the rear of said dial through which said shaft passes and which is insulated therefrom, said sleeve being in constant circuit with a source of electrical cur rent, a make and break contact member loosely mounted upon each of said sleeves andmovably confined between the said contact pins of the commutator cylinder so as to be capable of rotation therewith and form contact with one or the other thereof in accordance with the direction of rotation of the respective shafts, whereby electrical connection is established between one of said contact plates and one of said lamps at every landing at predetermined periods, an adtact member for pressing the latter toward the said dial". 4

6. An elevator signal apparatus. comprising a set of electrically controlled up and down signal lamps at eachelevator landing, a rotatably'mounted commutator cylin er arranged in juxtaposition to each set of signal lamps, each cylinder being provided with, an operatively spaced contact strip and a contact projection complemental to each lamp in a single set, mechanical eans operative with the movement of an e evator car for partially rotating in either direction all of said commutator cylinders, a

separate brush for each lamp each brush lying in the path of travel of its complemental contact strip for electrically controlcontact with one-or the other of said pro- 2b I jections governed by the movement of the respective cylinders.

In testimony whereof I ,have hereunto signed my name.' 4

- JOSEPH EPM QCARTH Y,

Witnesses WILLIAM J. JACKSON, 4 a

Acmzs E. OABKEY. 

